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Bebop Spoken There

Sullivan Fortner: ''I always judge it by the bass player: If the bass player is happy, it's going to be a good night". (DownBeat, February 2025).

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

17777 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 98 of them this year alone and, so far, 23 this month (Feb.8).

From This Moment On ...

February 2025

Sat 15: Joseph Carville Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free.
Sat 15: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 7:30pm. £15.00. at the door; £14.35. (inc £0.35 bf) online, in advance.
Sat 15: Elkie Brooks @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 7:30pm. ‘The Long Farewell Tour’.
Sat 15: Milne Glendinning Band @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.

Sun 16: MOBO Song @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 12 noon. Free, performances on the concourse. Line-up inc. Jazz Attack (on stage time TBC) & Jambone (12:20pm).
Sun 16: Jason Isaacs @ STACK, Exchange Sq., Middlesbrough. 1:00-2:45pm. Free. Vocalist Isaacs working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: Paul Skerritt @ Hibou Blanc, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free. Vocalist Skerritt working with backing tapes.
Sun 16: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 16: MOBO Awards Fringe 2025: BBC Introducing NE X MOBO Showcase @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 6:00pm. Free (ticketed). Line-up inc. Jambone, Knats, Rivkala, SwanNek.
Sun 16: The Shayo Experience @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sun 16: Gerry Richardson Quartet @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm. .

Mon 17: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 17: Matt Forster Quartet @ Yamaha Music School, Blyth. 1:00pm. £9.00. at the door; £8.20. (inc £0.20 bf) online, in advance.
Mon 17: Russ Morgan Quartet @ The Black Bull, Blaydon. 8:00pm. £10.00.

Tue 18: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Alan Law, Paul Grainger, John Hirst.

Wed 19: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 19: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 19: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 20: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, Holystone. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 20: James Birkett & Emma Fisk @ King’s Hall, Newcastle University. 1:15pm. Free.
Thu 20: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £4.00. Subject: Jazz Milestones - 1975.
Thu 20: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Thu 20: Orange Claw Hammer + Peony @ The Globe, Newcastle.7:30pm. Orange Claw Hammer play Captain Beefheart.
Thu 20: Jeremy McMurray & the Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Featuring special guest Zoë Gilby.

Fri 21: JazzMain @ The Lit & Phil, Newcastle. 1:00pm. SOLD OUT!
Fri 21: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 21: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 21: Joe Steels Trio @ The Pele, Corbridge. 7:00pm. £10.00. TBC.
Fri 21: Emma Rawicz w. Strictly Smokin’ Big Band @ The Glasshouse, Gateshead. 8:00pm.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

In Other Words @ Prohibition Bar, Gateshead. November 12

Alex Thompson (alto saxophone & clarinet), Nathan Lawson (guitar) & Dylan Thompson (drums)
(Review by Russell/Photo courtesy of Keith Thompson)
Saturday, Prohibition Bar, Gateshead. Sold out. A fundraising concert organised by Alex Thompson to help him raise funds to make the trip of a lifetime to India in July next year when he will be digging wells, building classrooms and making many lifelong friends in doing so. Alex, 16, plays alto saxophone and clarinet in Paraffernalia, Gateshead schools’ big band. Alex was joined on the gig by younger brother Dylan on drums and their friend Nathan Lawson, guitar. They call themselves In Other Words.
Song for My Father, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, Bernie’s Tune, Come Fly with Me, Cry Me a River – and this just a selection from the first few tunes! These young men have assembled a pad of gigantic proportions and it continues to grow apace. Dylan, drum kit set-up on the small stage area behind the front line, looked the business in casual (no tie) jacket, Alex and Nathan seated out front, t-shirt order. Alex’s alto work indicated a firm grasp of the melody in question and Nathan’s rhythmic support impressed time and again, the bass lines particularly effective. At the back, Dylan, 14, played in the groove, a real prospect is D Thompson. Alex played some clarinet; Fats’ Ain’t Misbehavin’ and Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans? the first of two numbers on his other, or ‘second’ instrument.

The audience, including David Blakey (Paraffernalia’s MD), listened intently, supporting three musicians of tomorrow. Drummer Dylan excelled on Jaco’s The Chicken, Nathan’s guitar intro set-up Fly Me to the Moon to which we all knew the lyrics…In Other Words! Their first set – one hour and ten minutes – couldn’t have gone much better.

Prohibition Bar’s proprietor has worked hard to make the Brandling Street speakeasy the successful venture it has become, the atmosphere made for the occasion. The trio stepped off the stage to take a well-earned break, mingling with family and friends. Young Dylan Thompson took charge of the raffle – is there no end to the young man’s talents?!

The second set opened with some good alto from Alex on All the Things You Are and the trio followed up with a spirited take on Scrapple from the Apple. They took a Slow Boat to China, insisted It Don’t Mean a Thing (they’ve got it!) with a fun round of fours, and Alex’s fluent alto on Bye Bye Blackbird caught the ear. How about Minor Swing? And a grooving Chameleon? The Zutons’ Valerie made it onto the set-list, not exactly the GAS book, but why not? It’s a good tune. The trio, Alex, Nathan and Dylan, 16, 15 and 14 had to be dragged off stage some one hour and twenty minutes later. They were having fun. A third set of tunes wouldn’t have been a problem. In Other Words said good night with the Sonny Rollins’ feel-good number St Thomas. A thoroughly entertaining evening, there is no doubt whatsoever that we will be hearing more from Alex, Nathan and Dylan.
YouTube clip.
Russell.
If you would like to know more about Alex Thompson’s World Challenge expedition, in the first instance please contact Bebop Spoken Here

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

Hi Nathan's mam here, thankyou for coming and reviewing In Other Words it's good to hear they are going in the right direction. Nathan would like to be as good as his mentor one day, James Birkett.

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